By Dr Subhash Kapila
â€œThe new American â€˜pivot towards Asiaâ€™ is a brilliant illustration of the place of this region which is now key to the balance of todayâ€™s world and in defining our security interests. This area is indeed a strategic stake for France which is and will remain a power in the Pacific and Indian Ocean. I came here to affirm that France firmly intends to remain committed to fostering security in the Asia Pacific area.â€--------- French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Address at Shangri-La Dialogue Singapore June 03 2012.

United States strategic pivot to Asia was the over-riding theme at the Shangri-La Dialogue 2012 early this month in Singapore. The three day meet was addressed by high dignitaries from the major countries of the Asia Pacific region with the exception of China. China confined its participation to a three star general. China feared that it would become the focus of critical comments for its recent aggressive military postures in the South China Sea and its overall disturbing military postures in the Asia Pacific.

Strikingly evident was the impression that one got was that virtually no country was critical of the United States on its strategic pivot to Asia and its rebalancing of its military postures in the Asia Pacific. China though not referred in direct terms hovered heavily as the prime strategic and military concern for the Asia Pacific region in the three day confabulations.

Media reportage focussed more on the address by the US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and his swing through Asia Pacific preceding and after this meet and the analyses of US postures. Lost in this maze was the address of the new French Defence Minister which should have drawn more attention in terms of its strong assertions and reaffirmation on French commitments to Asia Pacific security as evident from stands quoted above.

Some additional excerpts too need to be quoted verbatim to highlight the significance that France attaches to what is unfolding in the Asia Pacific:

â€œFor us French and European people as well, Asia Pacific and more particularly South East Asia area is an integral part of our security environment.â€

â€œWe the French are willing to participate in establishing a regional security structure in South East Asia.â€™

â€œIn this respect, France wishes that each major regional power, including the most powerful, may take on their responsibilities and reassure their environment, abiding by the main principles that govern the international system which we are all very attached to.â€

The address of the French Defense Minister was impressionably the best in my perceptions in terms of clarity of strategic intentions and reaffirmation of strategic commitments to Asia Pacific, coming so soon after a change of Government in France and that all European countries are under financial strain.

The last named quote of the French Defence Minister is most meaningful as it seems to be primarily focussed on China. It is China that has made the security environment turbulent and a cause of security concern for its neighbours. China also seems to being advised to abide by the main principles that govern the international system and not run wayward as it seems to be doing in the South China Sea basing its claims on dubious 1300 AD claims.

On further analysis, the following needs to be highlighted in terms of strategic commitments by France in the Asia Pacific:

France is solidly behind the United States strategic pivot doctrine of the United States. Only China and India stand out as two countries that expressed concern on American moves. India should follow the French example and not the Chinese one.

France whose main military and naval presence so far was confined to the Western Indian Ocean region can now be expected to extend it all the way to the Pacific.

To allay fears of NATO extension into the Pacific what is now being projected is that the Asia Pacific is very much part of the European security environment. Hence one can expect a greater European military presence especially in South East Asia.

Significant is the French assertion that France not only has firm intentions to continue as an Indian Ocean power but also now intends to be a Pacific Ocean power.

France already has its Regional Command Headquarters in Abu Dhabi along with associated military means. One can expect an increase there.

Overall, the message should be clear to China that it does not have a free run of the Asia Pacific in terms of military assertive postures or aggressive postures in the South China Sea region.
Strategic perceptions that arise and are now unfolding suggest that China in terms of giving shape to its military aims would have to run the military gauntlet of not only the United States and its East Asian Allies but also that such a security architecture is now stiffened by European resolve and further stiffened by Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

France and India have a substantial strategic partnership and analytically one can fervently hope that some of the French resolve to meet the new challenges to Asia Pacific security could wear off and influence Indiaâ€™s strategic thinking.France Reaffirms its Commitment to Asia Pacific Security

leverage of what? the only leverage these days are economy/trade. china/india has alot trade going on. french is far from asia, and china has a hold on french due to its trade relationship. remember back in 2008 olympic incident where some frenchman grab the chinese torch holder, chinese national start not buying stuff from french, and the french president later has to apologize or something like that. or the japanse/chinese fisherman incident where japan force to release the chinese fisherman due to economy ties with china. people still think military will solve the issue in SCS, while it can deter china from using its military force but thats not how china play right now. china use its massive trade/surplus/ties with different coporation to persuade other countrie's policy favorably toward china. soft power/$$$ has alot power when using correctly.

leverage of what? the only leverage these days are economy/trade. china/india has alot trade going on. french is far from asia, and china has a hold on french due to its trade relationship. remember back in 2008 olympic incident where some frenchman grab the chinese torch holder, chinese national start not buying stuff from french, and the french president later has to apologize or something like that. or the japanse/chinese fisherman incident where japan force to release the chinese fisherman due to economy ties with china. people still think military will solve the issue in SCS, while it can deter china from using its military force but thats not how china play right now. china use its massive trade/surplus/ties with different coporation to persuade other countrie's policy favorably toward china. soft power/$$$ has alot power when using correctly.

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your empty rhetoric aside, stop bucketing India and China together. Its not gonna happen unless CCP gets its head out of its ass. CCP is the only hindrance to asia being one block and kicking the west out of here. but as long as you dont oblige we are happy to stay neutral and watch the show from the sidelines.

your empty rhetoric aside, stop bucketing India and China together. Its not gonna happen unless CCP gets its head out of its ass. CCP is the only hindrance to asia being one block and kicking the west out of here. but as long as you dont oblige we are happy to stay neutral and watch the show from the sidelines.

leverage of what? the only leverage these days are economy/trade. china/india has alot trade going on. french is far from asia, and china has a hold on french due to its trade relationship. remember back in 2008 olympic incident where some frenchman grab the chinese torch holder, chinese national start not buying stuff from french, and the french president later has to apologize or something like that. or the japanse/chinese fisherman incident where japan force to release the chinese fisherman due to economy ties with china. people still think military will solve the issue in SCS, while it can deter china from using its military force but thats not how china play right now. china use its massive trade/surplus/ties with different coporation to persuade other countrie's policy favorably toward china. soft power/$$$ has alot power when using correctly.

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France is in the Asia Pacific... actual territory. France is the least leveraged of major economies on China. Sarko never apologised to China, he didn't do it for anyone. He instead hosted the DL despite China's whining. CCP kicked out Renault, but he never cared. You're talking about a country that armed Taiwan to the teeth so it never cared what China wanted. Japan fisherman has what to do with France?

Armand, how do you compare the current French Naval power with the British one?

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Superior overall... we have a CVN with a full compliment of 4.5 gen fighters and AWACs while they have nothing. They have more AD ships but we have more ASW. Our amphibous and heli born attack is far superior. They are ahead in modernisation of SSNs but we are ahead in SSBNs.They have no patrol frigates or corvettes while we have a large fleet of them. We are a 1st tier all aspect navy while RN is second tier except in submarines.

leverage of what? the only leverage these days are economy/trade. china/india has alot trade going on. french is far from asia, and china has a hold on french due to its trade relationship. remember back in 2008 olympic incident where some frenchman grab the chinese torch holder, chinese national start not buying stuff from french, and the french president later has to apologize or something like that. or the japanse/chinese fisherman incident where japan force to release the chinese fisherman due to economy ties with china. people still think military will solve the issue in SCS, while it can deter china from using its military force but thats not how china play right now. china use its massive trade/surplus/ties with different coporation to persuade other countrie's policy favorably toward china. soft power/$$$ has alot power when using correctly.

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China can keep doing that and nations will start to figure out how to sto their economic dependency/ relations with china. The more countries they pick on, it will not be long before the rest of the world starts to to think of measures on how to achieve that.

last year, during the Sino-US security talk, US generals try to bring out their india card to annoy China, and it is well documated that the PLA generals simply reply:"Dont try to play india card with us, since we simply could careless about India". I think the same can be said about France. Simply put: France is too light-weighted to do anything that matters.

At the moment, only US involvements can make some degree of difference to China's strategic calulations and with the obvious decline of US and rapid rise of China military power, as we all know, it wont take very long for China to do whatever they want to do.

leverage of what? the only leverage these days are economy/trade. china/india has alot trade going on. french is far from asia, and china has a hold on french due to its trade relationship. remember back in 2008 olympic incident where some frenchman grab the chinese torch holder, chinese national start not buying stuff from french, and the french president later has to apologize or something like that. or the japanse/chinese fisherman incident where japan force to release the chinese fisherman due to economy ties with china. people still think military will solve the issue in SCS, while it can deter china from using its military force but thats not how china play right now. china use its massive trade/surplus/ties with different coporation to persuade other countrie's policy favorably toward china. soft power/$$$ has alot power when using correctly.

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Dude U dont need to be close to any location to spread ur influence .U need to have relationship with those nations nearby to make an influence in that
region .French can make an influence through strategic ties up with those asean countries .They have good relationship with Malaysia ,also it has with
Taiwan .Basically their influence would be limited as comparision to US ,but yes with the help of INdian & US navy they can increase their influence as they can create more markets for selling their weapons through strategic tie ups

France has 7,000 troops in the Pacific along with two major bases and one of the largest EEZs. It is the largest NATO presence in the region next to the US. We aren't going anywhere and if CCP starts acting up we will be there to support our allies.